A Simple Surgery

Today was the first day we experienced same day surgery.  Highly recommend it over the inpatient, prolonged-stay version of surgery.  Expectations are important in allowing it to be a satisfactory experience.


First.  Don't expect too much from the scheduling.  A few days ago we received notification that surgery would be Thursday, May 28.  What time?  Oh, nobody knows.  We were promised a call the day before surgery between 1 and 7 pm.  At 6 pm Mom is getting frustrated that we haven't been notified yet, but they are still in their window when they promised a call.  The call comes about 6:45 pm.  J is to report to surgery at 1:30 pm.  Operation begins at 2:30 pm.  Nothing to eat after midnight.  Poor little boy that can't eat all day.

Two.  Don't expect the schedule to represent reality.  Somehow Mom had it in her head that reporting time was 1:45, so we ended up being a few minutes late.  Ends up not being a problem. One of the patients before us was REALLY late, so the whole day was pushed back.  I think he finally was taken back to the operating room about one hour after he was supposed to.  And that's pretty good for the OR.

Three.  Expect to take care of yourself after surgery.  If it's same day surgery, then you're on your own  that night anyway, and someone expects that you can handle your own care.  When we were done in the PACU (post-anesthesia care unit), J dressed himself and walked the half mile to my car.  No need for a wheelchair.  No escort to the door.  No problem.  He did great.

Four.  Expect it to be like surgery in every other way.  About 20 people will ask your name, date of birth, what you're here for.  Allergies?   When did you eat last?  In spite all the questioning, nobody can answer the critical question, "When do we start surgery?"

The surgery was successful.  They took the stent out and found one stone in the ureter.  It fell apart when they tried to handle it.  The urologist is convinced it's a uric acid stone.  Two of the oncologists were checking on the patient next to us in the PACU and stopped for a chat.  One is very skeptical that it could be uric acid.  (Doctors love forming opinions, and they love being correct.  But sometimes you get multiple smart doctors with multiple conflicting opinions.  Does it matter who is right?  Probably not, as long as the patient gets high value care.)  The urologist decided he did not need a smaller stent left in place.  All we have left now is to get the PET scan (and see if there are anymore stones visible on the CT portion) and have a follow-up visit with urology.  If we're good at that point then kidney stones can move from the active problem list to the past problem list.  And that's the way we like it.